Date Recipes for a Faster, Easier Labor

This labor soothing smoothie recipe includes all six of the dates you should eat every day. And it doesn’t have any refined sugar, because unsweetened almond milk and the natural sweetness of the fruit does the trick.

This smoothie is both vegan and paleo, and doesn’t contain any milk for the lactose-intolerant. Six dates (your daily quota!) and vanilla add some sweetness, while cinnamon and nutmeg add flavor.

Peanut butter’s creamy, protein-rich taste goes great in smoothies. Combined with the five dates (you'll only need to squeeze in one more for your daily quota) in this recipe, it’s a rich, healthy treat.

Trying to get your greens, too? In addition to four dates (two shy of your daily quota), this smoothie has 2 cups of spinach for vitamin K and manganese, as well as a banana for potassium (goodbye leg cramps!).

Who needs a smoothie when you can have a milkshake?! This creamy cocoa-infused shake contains four dates.

Frozen bananas and dates combine to make a smooth, creamy shake that's just sweet enough. And vanilla protein powder adds extra staying power. Each smoothie has 3 to 4 dates.

Who said smoothies are only for breakfast? This one is sweet enough for dessert, and will provide 4 dates per serving.

You'll get a dose of 4 dates in this smoothie, but you'll also get a punch of nutrients from spinach, chia seeds, bananas, and strawberries.

Banana has a strong flavor, which can mask the date’s flavor if it’s not your favorite. Plus, these muffin tops have chocolate chips—yum! Since these muffins have roughly 4 dates in them and the recipe makes nine muffin tops, you’ll get about a half a date per serving.

Guilt-free donut holes? Sign me up! Coconut and almond flour add the lightness and fluffiness of cake, with dates and nuts for texture. This recipe is a little more complicated than others on this list, but you can always skip the glaze. And it calls for eight dates, so you’ll get a little over two dates per donut hole.

The popular combination of date and banana gets a twist with coconut sugar and dairy-free milk. The muffins also freeze easily, so make a big batch one weekend when you have some extra energy. There’s a little less than one date per muffin.

Maple syrup, mixed with dates, make these muffins sweet but healthy, while roasted almonds give them some crunch. There’s about half a date in each muffin.

Chocolate is important to eat during pregnancy, science tells us so. And Martha Stewart came through for us with this yummy recipe for a dark chocolate walnut date bar. They’re also no-bake and gluten-free. Each bar contains about 1.5 dates.

You’re tired, it’s close to the end of pregnancy, and you don’t want to spend a lot of time whipping up date granola bars. These five-ingredient bars will do the trick, and there’s nearly one full date in each bar.

Not everyone has a sweet tooth, and some mamas may prefer something a little spicier. Ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom spice up these bars. You don’t have to bake them, just refrigerate overnight. Cut the pan into 8 squares to ensure you get one date per serving. 

These dense bars contain a whopping 15 dates, which means you'll get nearly two dates per bar if you cut the batch into eight squares.

Unsweetened cocoa powder gives these brownies, which contain one cup of chopped dates, that rich, chocolatey brownie taste. And best of all? You don’t even have to bake these simple brownies. Each bar contains half a date.

Some people prefer their brownies to have a fudgier texture, like these vegan fudgy raw brownies. Coconut oil mixed with cacao gives these brownies their great texture. There are also two cups of dates, which works out to one date per brownie.

Agave nectar or pure maple syrup replaces processed sugar in this no-bake brownie recipe. It calls for 2 ½ cups of dates, split between 16 bars, which means you’re getting a little more than one date per brownie.

Craving something sweet, but don’t want a whole brownie? Try a bite! Four ingredients make this a quick snack that also satisfies your chocolate craving. Each poppable serving contains about one date.

A quick snack for mamas on the go, these date balls whip up in a jiffy. Dates and unsweetened coconut are the main ingredients and each ball has almost one date.

If you’re getting a little sick of coconut and nuts, try these balls. They contain dried fruit, sunflower and flax seeds, and dates to make a quick snack. Each ball has one date in it.

These energy balls are rolled in unsweetened coconut for sweetness and contain a pinch of cinnamon for flavor. The recipe yields 12 balls and contains 10 dates, so you’ll get a little more than one date in each ball.

Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds add a lot of protein to these yummy energy bites. And with roughly twelve dates divided between sixteen balls, you'll get just shy of one date per ball.

The dates mix with almonds to make the crust on this scrumptious coconut blueberry pie. Coconut cream and blueberry filling tastes luxurious, but is actually quite healthy. And there are almost two dates per slice.

The dates are in the crust on this tart, too, and the dark chocolate and vanilla filling is sure to please. It also contains non-dairy milk, so you could use date milk to up your date consumption even more. As is, the recipe provides about 1.5 dates per serving.

If you want something sweet and healthy and love peanut butter, these simple cookies will fulfill your cravings. Natural peanut butter binds together dates, vanilla, and an egg. Each cookie contains 1.5 dates.

This vegan recipe uses flax seeds in place of flour and apple cider vinegar and dates instead of sugar. You can also substitute another nut butter, though peanut butter gives it a classic taste. Two cookies provide one date.

This chicken dish is admittedly a little complicated, but think of it as a celebratory meal pre-baby. You could also swap the chicken for lamb for a special treat. Each serving contains about 3 dates.

When it comes to stuffed dates, the options are endless. Plus, it's an easy way to reach your daily quota. Each serving in this recipe contains 2 dates.

A classic favorite that makes a great appetizer. Who can say no to bacon?? Each serving contains 1 date, but you'll be surprised how easy it is to eat six of these!

Get your leafy greens with this fresh, nutrient-rich salad. Slivered dates perfectly complement those cruciferous veggies, making it easy to get your fill. Each serving contains about 1 date.